Professor Kathy Sylva

Kathy Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology. She came to Oxford as Reader in Educational Studies in 1997. Kathy supervises research students in the field of early years education and care, as well as literacy and other aspects of the curriculum in the primary phase. She teaches on the MSc in Educational Research Methodology and the MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition. Kathy is Chair of the Research Committee, and Convenor of the Families, Early Learning and Literacy (FELL) research unit. After earning a PhD at Harvard University she moved to Oxford where she taught Psychology while serving on the Oxford Pre-school Research Group which was led by Jerome Bruner. Her book Childwatching at Playgroup and Nursery School broke new ground by questioning an unbridled ‘free play’ ideology. In the 1980s she evaluated the High/Scope pre-school programme with its emphasis on ‘plan, do review’ in each session. In this work she began to explore the notion of ‘structure’ in Early Education. In 1990 she moved to London to carry out research on assessment and curriculum in primary education. In Early Intervention in Children with Reading Difficulties she and Jane Hurry showed that Reading Recovery is a successful intervention and cost-effective as well. During this period she was co-director of the Royal Society of Arts Enquiry into Early Years Education (Start Right Report, 1994). In 1997 she returned to Oxford and is one of the leaders of the DfES research on effective provision of pre-school and primary education. A dominant theme throughout her work is the impact of education not only on subject knowledge but on children’s problem-solving, social skills and disposition to learn. A related theme in her work is the role of early intervention in combating social disadvantage and exclusion. She was Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Employment during their Enquiry into Early Education in 2001 and again in 2004. She serves on government advisory committees concerned with national assessment, evaluation of programmes such as Sure Start, and curriculum for children 0-7 years. In 2002 she was given an honorary doctorate by the Open University.

Selected recent publications (since 2000)

Sylva, K. & Taylor, H. (in press) Effective settings: evidence from research. In Pugh, G. (Ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (4th Edition).

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., and Taggart, B. (in press). Educational Research and Evidence-based Policy: The Mixed Method Approach of the EPPE project. Evaluation and Research in Education.

Leach, P., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., Stein, A., Malmberg, L-E. & the FCCC team (in press). Infant child care: Mothers’ aspirations, actual experiences and the predictors of their satisfaction and confidence in communication with caregivers. Early Child Development and Care.

Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., & Elliot, K. (in press) Investigating the Effects of Pre-school Provision: Using Mixed methods in the EPPE Research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(3), 207-224.

Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Elliot, K. & Totsika, V. (2006). Capturing Quality in Early Childhood through Environmental Rating Scales. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(1), 76-92.

Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Elliot, K., & Lunt, I. (2006). Early identification of special educational needs and the definition of ‘at risk’: The Early Years Transition and Special Education Needs (EYTSEN) Project. British Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 40-45.

Sylva, K., Pugh, G. (2005). Transforming the early years in England. Oxford Review of Education, 31(1), 11-27.

Sammons, P., Elliot, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, M., Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, B. (2004). The impact of pre-school on young children’s cognitive attainments at entry to reception. British Education Research Journal, 30 (5), 691-712.

Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching Pedagogy in English Pre-Schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30 (5), 713-730.

Smith, T., Sylva, K., Mathers, S. (2004). National evaluation of the wraparound care pilot project. SureStart.

Sylva, K. (2004) ‘Interventions that work’ In Fox, N. (ed.) Moral Development in the Toddler Years Johnson & Johnson.

Totsika, V., & Sylva, K. (2004) The Home Observation Revisited. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Journal.

Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2003). Assessing quality in the early years Trentham Books.

MacPherson, K. & Sylva, K. (2002). Parents and parenting in the early years: research evidence. DfES Research Digest 13-20.

Siraj-Blatchford, I. Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R., & Bell, D. (2002) Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years London: Department for Education and Skills.

MacPherson, K. & Sylva, K. (2002). Parents and parenting in the early years: research evidence. DfES Research Digest 13-20.

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. & Elliot, K. (2002) Measuring the impact of pre-school on children’s cognitive development over the pre-school period. Technical paper 8a: Cognitive outcomes Department for Education and Skills/London Institute of Education.

Kwan, C. & Sylva, K. (2001). Observations of child behaviours as indicators of child care quality in Singapore. Canadian Journal of Research in early Childhood Education.

Sylva, K. (2001). Quality matters after all. Early Childhood Review, 8 2-11.

Walker-Hall, J. & Sylva, K. (2001). What works for families with children with behaviour problems? Evidence from research’ In Pugh, G. (ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (3rd Edition).

Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2001) Technical Paper 7: Social Behavioural and Cognitive Development at 3-4 years in relation to family background Department for Education and Employment/London Institute of Education.

Sylva, K. (2000). An overview of educational research. Oxford Review of Education, 26 293-297.

Ballie, C., Sylva, K. & Evans, E. (2000) ‘Do intervention programmes for parents, aimed at improving children’s literacy, really work?’ In Buchanan, A. & Hudson, B. Promoting Children’s Emotional Well-being Oxford University Press.

Current grants

Sylva, K., Mathers, S., Joshi, H., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Taggart, B. Quality of Childcare in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). Department for Education & Skills, 2005-2006 (£232,645)

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Laugharne, J., & Sylva, K. Monitoring and Evaluation of the Effective Implementation of the Foundation Phase. National Assembly for Wales, 2004-2006 (£96,722)

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. Effective Provision of Pre-school & Primary Education, Department for Education & Skills/ESRC, 2003-2008 (£2,731,620)

Smith, T., Sylva, K., Smith, G. & Dearden, L. Evaluation of Pilot Wrap-around care programme Department for Education and Skills, 2002-2003 (£216,850)

Sylva, K., Evangelou, M. & Brooks, G. Enabling Parents: an evaluation of parent early education programme (PEEP) Learning and Skills Council, 2002-2004 (£104,100)

Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E. & Taggart, B. The EPPE Project: Second Parent Survey Department for Education and Skills , 2001-2003 (£47,453)

Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. Melhuish, E. &Taggart, B. The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs Department for Education and Skills, 2001-2003 (£56,765)

Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P. & Siraj-Blatchford, I. Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland: Extension to Northern Ireland of Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Research Project Department for Education and Employment, 1998-2003 (£468,527)

Sylva, K., Stein, A. & Leach, P. Families, Children and Child Care Tedworth and Glasshouse Trusts (Sainsbury), 1997-2004 (£1,738,200)

	Sylva, K. & Taylor, H. (in press) Effective settings: evidence from research. In Pugh, G. (Ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (4th Edition).
	Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., and Taggart, B. (in press). Educational Research and Evidence-based Policy: The Mixed Method Approach of the EPPE project. Evaluation and Research in Education.
	Leach, P., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., Stein, A., Malmberg, L-E. & the FCCC team (in press). Infant child care: Mothers’ aspirations, actual experiences and the predictors of their satisfaction and confidence in communication with caregivers. Early Child Development and Care.
	Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., & Elliot, K. (in press) Investigating the Effects of Pre-school Provision: Using Mixed methods in the EPPE Research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(3), 207-224.
	Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Elliot, K. & Totsika, V. (2006). Capturing Quality in Early Childhood through Environmental Rating Scales. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(1), 76-92.
	Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Elliot, K., & Lunt, I. (2006). Early identification of special educational needs and the definition of ‘at risk’: The Early Years Transition and Special Education Needs (EYTSEN) Project. British Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 40-45.
	Sylva, K., Pugh, G. (2005). Transforming the early years in England. Oxford Review of Education, 31(1), 11-27.
	Sammons, P., Elliot, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, M., Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, B. (2004). The impact of pre-school on young children’s cognitive attainments at entry to reception. British Education Research Journal, 30 (5), 691-712.
	Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching Pedagogy in English Pre-Schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30 (5), 713-730.
	Smith, T., Sylva, K., Mathers, S. (2004). National evaluation of the wraparound care pilot project. SureStart.
	Sylva, K. (2004) ‘Interventions that work’ In Fox, N. (ed.) Moral Development in the Toddler Years Johnson & Johnson.
	Totsika, V., & Sylva, K. (2004) The Home Observation Revisited. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Journal.
	Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2003). Assessing quality in the early years Trentham Books.
	MacPherson, K. & Sylva, K. (2002). Parents and parenting in the early years: research evidence. DfES Research Digest 13-20.
	Siraj-Blatchford, I. Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R., & Bell, D. (2002) Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years London: Department for Education and Skills.
	MacPherson, K. & Sylva, K. (2002). Parents and parenting in the early years: research evidence. DfES Research Digest 13-20.
	Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. & Elliot, K. (2002) Measuring the impact of pre-school on children’s cognitive development over the pre-school period. Technical paper 8a: Cognitive outcomes Department for Education and Skills/London Institute of Education.
	Kwan, C. & Sylva, K. (2001). Observations of child behaviours as indicators of child care quality in Singapore. Canadian Journal of Research in early Childhood Education.
	Sylva, K. (2001). Quality matters after all. Early Childhood Review, 8 2-11.
	Walker-Hall, J. & Sylva, K. (2001). What works for families with children with behaviour problems? Evidence from research’ In Pugh, G. (ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (3rd Edition).
	Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2001) Technical Paper 7: Social Behavioural and Cognitive Development at 3-4 years in relation to family background Department for Education and Employment/London Institute of Education.
	Sylva, K. (2000). An overview of educational research. Oxford Review of Education, 26 293-297.
	Ballie, C., Sylva, K. & Evans, E. (2000) ‘Do intervention programmes for parents, aimed at improving children’s literacy, really work?’ In Buchanan, A. & Hudson, B. Promoting Children’s Emotional Well-being Oxford University Press.